Bull’s Eye Report: Hain Celestial Group (HAIN)

Consumer staples like this one can help you weather the storm

At StateoftheMarkets.com, we strive to “own the best and ignore the rest” in our equity portfolios. Toward this end, each day we search our database for a “top stock” (a top rated company in terms of earnings strength as well as company and industry performance) that presents a strong technical “set up” and a good entry point.

In short, when our equity team is looking to add a stock to one of our portfolios, the “bull’s eye” stock shown below is generally their first choice.

Company

Symbol

Industry

Stock Rating

YTD% Gain

S.T.
Stop Loss

Hain Celestial Group Inc

HAIN

Packaged Foods & Meats

9.4

+8.69%

$58.95

Why We Like The Stock:

Hain Celestial Group (NASDAQ:HAIN) is our most compelling buy today due to the fact that it is a top rated stock (in terms of earnings strength and company/industry performance) in the consumer staples sector, which has been handily outperforming the market in 2013. Along with other packaged foods & meats stocks Smithfield Foods (NYSE:SFD), Dean Foods (NYSE:DF), TreeHouse Foods (NYSE:THS), and Lancaster Colony (NASDAQ:LANC), HAIN sports a positive technical setup and looks favorable on both a short- and long-term basis. With increased volatility and uncertainty in the market the past couple of weeks, consumer staples stocks have not faltered (just look at the uptrend on XLP). We like HAIN at current prices for a run back up to its September 2012 highs at $73.70, just as long as it stays above its 50-day moving average, which is where our stop is set.

We Would Be Buyers:

At the current price (~$60.33), or on a pullback to $59.20.

Company Profile:

Hain Celestial Group, Inc. manufactures, markets, distributes and sells natural and organic products under brand names, which are sold as better-for-you products. It is engaged in natural and organic products categories, with brands such as Earth’s Best, Celestial Seasonings, Terra, Garden of Eatin’, Sensible Portions, Rice Dream, Soy Dream and Almond Dream. It operates in three segments: the United States, the United Kingdom, which covers the United Kingdom and Ireland, and Rest of World. On April 27, 2012, it acquired Cully & Sully Limited. In October 2012, it acquired Premier Foods plc’s portfolio of packaged grocery brands, including Hartley’s, Sun-Pat, Gale’s, Robertson’s, and Frank Cooper’s-with peanut butter, honey, jams, fruit and jelly, marmalade and chocolate product offerings-along with its Histon manufacturing base in Cambridgeshire. In December 2012, the Company acquired BluePrint brand.

Stock Rating: 9.4

The Stock Rating indicates the combined score of our proprietary Earning Strength and Company Performance models. The rating scale is 0 – 10 with 10 being the highest.

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